Cider Time

Fall is here and that means cider. There;s nothing as refreshing as apple cider on a crisp October day. Its' taste is sharp and it's has an invigorating tang. If you want more of a kick, then have a glass of the lard kind. This is the season for for any kind of cider, hard or soft.


Cider is one of our oldest beverages.The name comes from a variation of the Hebrew shekar and the Greek sikara . Saint Jerome called it sicera and from that came the old French word cidre. The Romans found the Kentish villagers drinking it as early as 55 BCE. It was one of the most popular drinks during the Middle Ages and apple orchards, grown exclusively for cider flourished under England's Norman period. It came to North America with the colonists and it was easier to brew than beer or wine. It was the colonies' most consumed beverage. Now it is divided in to the alcoholic hard and the non - soft. Hard cider today is a wonderful accompaniment to cheese and crackers or to a hearty cassoulet. Soft cider is good with that fall favorite, fresh made cinnamon doughnuts.

Cider itself is a mash of cider apples that goes through a large hydraulic press. It's mashed to the consistency of apple sauce and then placed between layers of cloth. The soft variety should be pasteurized because it is a petri dish for botulism and has caused deaths in recent years. Unpasteurised cider is made and sold at some family owned farms and has a purer taste than the mass produced kind. However it is risky to drink so be careful when buying it.

The is the season for a large glass of cider. Its' sweet tart taste is perfect for those hearty fall dishes and flavors. Enjoy a glass now with a good dinner or for dessert with some fresh baked doughnuts or crullers..